Canopy for dining-tables



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. V. DAVIS.

CANOPY FOR DINING TABLES.

No.591,457..' Patented Oct. 12,1897

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No. 591,457. Patented 0015;12, 1897.

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CANOPY FOR DINING-TABLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,457, dated October12, 1897.

Application filed July 9, 1897. Serial No. 644,025. (No model.)

To ail whom itmay concern; 7

Be it known that I, DANIEL Vns'rnL DAVIS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Fork Church, in the county of Davie and State ofNorth Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Canopiesfor Dining- Tables, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a new and improved foldingand unfolding canopy for wholly covering'or enveloping a dining-table orbed to protect or shield a person or persons from the annoyance of fliesor other insects.

The invention also has for its object to provide anovel, simple,efficient, and economical net canopy designed to be folded and unfoldedby merely pulling a single cable or cord, so that when unfolded it willwholly envelop a dining-table or bed and prevent flies or other insectsannoying the persons dining or the occupants of the bed, and when foldedis placed out of the way to permit convenient access to the table orbed.

' The invention also has for its object to provide a swinging net canopywith means for driving the flies or other insects away from the table orbed as the canopy is unfolded to envelop and cover the same, sothatflies or other insects are effectually excluded from beneath the notwhen the latter is lowered into position for use.

The invention also has for its object to pro vide a new and improved netcanopy which may be connected with the wall of a room and be sustainedby a swinging canopy-frame pivoted to the floor in such manner that itcan be swung over a dining-table to completely inclose the same withoutliability of disturbing the articles on the table or sweeping any ofthem therefrom.

To accomplish all these objects, my invention'consists' in the featuresof construction and in thefcombi'nat ion or arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings, in'wliich- Figure lis aperspective view showingmy improved net canopy in its position of use for wholly inclosingadining-table. Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the net canopy ahorizontal rail 5, to which is secured the inner edge of the top portion6 of the canopy. This canopy is composed of' the top portion referredto, a front drop-curtain portion 7, and vertical end portions 8. Theouter edge of the top portion 6 is secured to the horizontal member 9 ofa yoke or U-shaped frame having perpendicular end portions 10, which arepivoted at their lower extremities to the floor at points some distancefrom the wall 1,

as indicated by the numerals l2. I

The yoke-shaped canopy-frame may be a metal rod or wire or any othermaterial suitable for the purpose.

The devicesfor pivoting the arms or members 10 to the floor may be ofany suitable construction, but as here shown they are composed ofstaples driven into the floor and with which engage eyes on the lowerends of the arms or members 10.

The lower edge of the front or curtain portion 7 is provided with ahorizontal pole or rail 13, running nearly the full length thereof,

are provided with weights 14, which, in connection with the pole or rail13, hold the cur-' tain'portion stretched vertically when the canopy islowered-into the position of use, as represented in Fig. 1. The verticalends of the curtain portion 7 are disconnected from the outer verticaledges of the end portions 8 of the canopy, so that these parts may beopened and closed like flaps for the entrance and exit of persons duringthe time that the canopy is lowered. The lower front corners of the endportions 8 of the canopy are also provided with weights 14 for holdingthem in position to close the canopy. V

The inner side of the drop-curtain portion and the lower corners of thiscurtain portion '7 is provided with a sweeper 15, attached at its upperedge, as at 16, to the drop-curtain portion and free at all otherpoints, so that as the canopy is being lowered the sweeper will sweepover the table-top in proximity thereto and drive flies or other insectsoif of the table and out of the way, so that when the canopy is in itslowered position of use there will be no flies or other insects insideof the canopy.

The sweeper 15 may be of any construction and material suitable for thepurpose in hand, but it is preferably composed of a large numberofpendent filaments orthreads of suitable size and arranged somewhatclosely together, after the manner of a long narrow brush.

The canopy is folded and unfolded through the medium of a single cable17, passing over the ceiling-pulley l and between the pulleys 18 and 19,mounted in a bracket 20, secured to and projecting outwardly from thehorizontal member 9 of the canopy-frame. The cable extends down to andis connected with the rail 13 of the drop-curtain portion 7, theconstruction being such that if the cable 17 is pulled by the operatorthe lower portion of the drop-curtain is first raised nearly, if notquite, as high as the level of the dining-table, at which time a buttonor stop 21 on the cable will come in contact with the bracket 20 or thepulleys 18 and 19, and then a sharp quick pull on the cable 17 willcause the yoke or U-shaped frame to swing back against the wall, inwhich motion the lower portion of the drop-curtain will not come incontact with the table, since it is held elevated a sufficient height toclear the table.

As the yoke or U -shaped frame swings back toward the wallit passes thecenter of gravity and lies in an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 2,and obviously, therefore, if the cable 17 be given a sharp quick pullthe canopyframe will be thrown outward, as in Fig. 3, and the canopywill then assume the position shown in Fig. 1. As the canopy-frameswings outward, the cable 17 being manipulated to hold the lower portionof the drop-curtain in a raised position, the fly-sweeper 15 will sweepover the table-top in close proximity thereto and drive the flies orother insects away from the table and out from the space which will beinelosed by the canopy when it is completely lowered. The flexiblenature of the sweeper prevents it from disturbing articles that may beupon the table, even though the sweeper be of sufficient length to comequite near or against the table-top,which, however, is preferably notthe ease. The sweeper 15 is preferably connected to the drop-curtain, asat 16, through the medium of a wooden or other rail of any suitabledimensions, but, if desired, this sweeper may be sewed or otherwiseattached to the drop curtain at the proper point.

When the canopy-frame reaches the proper position in its outward motion,it will be stopped by the tension of the top portion 6 of the gauze ornet canopy, since the latter is secured at the inner edge to the wallthrough the medium of the rail 5 or other suitable means.

The end portion of the cable or cord which connects with the pole orrail 13is preferably divided, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the pole orrail will be supported substantially horizontal in its motions.

Then the canopyframe is swung back against the wall, it may, if desired,be positively held by a pivoted button or catch 22.

Although my present invention is particularly designed for use inconnection with din: ing-tables, it may be uscdin connection with a bedor otherwise to protect aperson or persons from the annoyance of fliesor other insects.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combinationof a canopy-frame pivoted to the floor in juxtaposition to a wall, acanopy secured to said frame, attached at its inner edge to the wall,and having vertical end portions and a front drop-curtain, a cableguidesecured to the ceiling near the wall, a cable or cord passing over saidguide and connected with the lower edge of the drop-eurtain to raise thesame preparatory to swinging the canopy-frame to fold or unfold thecanopy, and means whereby said cable or cord swings the canopy-frameagainst the wall or outward therefrom, after the lower edge portion ofthe drop-curtain has been raised, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a yoke-shaped canopy-frame pivoted at its lowerend to the floor near a wall, a net canopy secured to said frame andcomprisinga top portion attached at its inner edge to the wall, verticalend portions and a front drop-curtain, a pulleybracket extending outwardfrom the canopyframe, a ceiling-pulley supported near the wall, a cableor cord passing over the ceilingpulley, through the pulley-bracket andeonnected with the lower edge of the drop-curtain, and a button or stopsecured to the cable or cord below the pulley-bracket, whereby the loweredge of the drop-curtain is raised and the canopy-frame is subsequentlyswung by pulling on the cable or cord, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a canopy-frame pivoted to the floor injuxtaposition to a wall, a canopy secured to said frame, connected atits inner edge to the wall, and having vertical end portions and a frontdrop-curtain, a flysweeper secured to said curtain, a cable-guidesecured to the ceiling near the wall, a cable or cord passing over saidguide and connected with the lower edge of the drop-curtain to raise thesame preparatory to swinging the canopy-frame, and means whereby saidcable or cord swings the canopy-frame against the wall, or outwardtherefrom after the lower edge of the drop-curtain has been raised,substantially as described.

4. The combination of a canopy-frame pivoted at its lower end to thefloor near a wall, a canopy secured to said frame, and comprising a topportion connected at its inner edge to the wall, vertical end portionsand a dropcurtain, a flexible fly-sweeper mounted on the inner side ofthe drop-curtain above the lower edge thereof, a pulley-bracketextending outward from the canopy-fram e, a ceiling-pulley, a cable orcord passing over the ceiling-pulley, through the pulley bracket andconnected with the lower edge of the drop-curtain, and a button or stopsecured to the cable below the pulley-bracket, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combinationof a yoke-shaped canopy-frame pivoted to the floor injuxtaposition to a wall, a canopy secured to said frame,

' connected at its inner edge with the wall, and

having vertical end portions and a front dropourtain weighted at itslower edge, a flysweeper secured longitudinally along the inside of thedrop-curtain with the lower edge of the sweeper arranged some distanceabove the lower edge of the drop-curtain when loW- ered, a cable-guidesecured to the ceiling near the wall,a cable or cord passing oversaidguide and connected with the lower edge of the drop-curtain to raisethe same preparatory to swinging the canopy-frame to fold or'unfold thecanopy, and means whereby said cable or cord swings the canopy-frameagainst at its inner edge. to, the wall, vertical end portions and afront drop-curtain, a fly-sweeper mounted on the inside of thedrop-curtain and having its lower free edge located some distance abovethe lower edge of the curtain when the latter is lowered, apulley-bracket extending outward from the canopy-frame, a

ceilin g-pulley'supported near the wall, a cable or cord passing overthe ceiling pulley, through the pulley-bracket and connected with thelower edge of the drop-curtain, and a button or stop secured to thecable or cord below the pulley-bracket, whereby the lower edge of thedrop-curtain is raised and the canopy-frame is subsequently swung bypulling on the cable or cord, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

DANIEL VESTEL DAVIS.

